In 1994, some 56 years after initial authorization, the Federal crop insurance program remained characterized by low enrollment levels. Many argued for increased coverage and subsequent major pieces of legislation in 1994, and 2000 expanded the program and increased premium subsidies. Enrollment...

Over the past three decades, the number of farming operations has remained relatively steady, but production has shifted to larger farms. Changes in production and marketing practices have facilitated—and have been facilitated by—organizational and distributional changes in...

The current debate surrounding the 2012 Farm Act stresses cutting costs while maintaining, or even strengthening, farmers’ “safety net.” One way to cut costs is to reduce or eliminate potential overlap of farm program payments. Using simulations, we explore the interaction between the...